New Short Story Collection Explores Redemption, Grace, and the Quiet Work of God in the Human Heart

Once Upon a Time:

A Collection of Short Stories for Those Trying to Find Their Way Home, Volume Three

by Samuel L, Blumenthal, Ph.D.

Gilbert, AZ — August 13, 2026

What if the struggles we wish away are the very places God is quietly at work?

In his new short story collection, Once Upon a Time, Volume Three (Redemption Press, 2026), award-winning author and clinical psychologist Samuel L. Blumenthal invites readers into ten thoughtfully crafted stories exploring redemption, brokenness, and the quiet work of grace.

Born out of decades of listening to the human heart as both a psychologist and a believer, Blumenthal writes with literary depth and spiritual insight, reminding readers that God’s redemptive work often unfolds slowly and unseen. Rather than offering easy answers, these stories honor complexity and the long journey toward healing.

Through story and honest portrayals of inner struggle, Once Upon a Time, Volume Three helps readers
• recognize how awareness opens the door to repentance and healing,
• see grace at work within loss, fear, and unfinished faith,
• understand how internal wounds shape external struggles,
• embrace faith that allows room for growth, and
• trust that the way home is guided, even when the path feels unclear.

“We desperately need God’s help and grace to heal our hearts, but pride keeps us from seeing the primary problem is with us. A. W. Tozer said, ‘God waits to be wanted.’ He is waiting. Can we just believe it?” 

Once Upon a Time, Volume Three is available through Redemption Press, Amazon, and other major retailers.

About the Author

Samuel L. Blumenthal, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, Bible teacher, and award-winning author whose fiction explores the redemptive work of God in the human heart. With more than thirty years of experience in psychology and a deep commitment to Scripture, he writes stories that are thoughtful, honest, and spiritually resonant. His Once Upon a Time short stories have received multiple Selah Awards for literary excellence. Blumenthal lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he continues to write, teach, and engage deeply with faith and story.

For a review copy or to interview Sam Blumenthal, contact Joni Sullivan Baker, Buoyancy PR, at 513/319-3231 or jbaker@buoyancypr.com.

Suggested Interview Questions

1. Once Upon a Time, Volume Three centers on the idea of “finding your way home.” What does home represent spiritually in these stories, and why does that theme matter so much to you?
2. You’ve spent decades as a clinical psychologist listening to people’s inner struggles. How did that experience shape the way you write about the human heart in these stories?
3. These stories avoid easy answers or tidy endings. Why was it important to you to honor complexity rather than resolve everything neatly for the reader?
4. Many of your characters are hindered not by external enemies but by internal wounds. Why do you think self-awareness is such a critical step in spiritual healing?
5. Your writing weaves together psychology, theology, and story. How do you balance those elements without turning fiction into instruction?
6. Several stories explore how grace works quietly over time. How has your own faith been shaped by God’s patience rather than dramatic moments?
7. You’ve said that awareness leads to repentance and repentance opens the door to grace. Can you unpack that progression for listeners?
8. These stories invite readers to sit with discomfort. What do you hope happens inside a reader as they wrestle with the truths in these pages?
9. How do you hope this book speaks to readers who feel stuck in old patterns or unfinished chapters of their lives?
10. What role does suffering play in spiritual growth, according to the vision behind this collection?
11. Why do you believe storytelling can sometimes reach people more deeply than teaching or argument?
12. If a reader finishes this book feeling a little more hopeful, a little more honest, and a little less alone, what would that mean to you?